Diet and Anthropometrics of Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparison With the General Population

Abstract Background There is a lack of knowledge regarding the diet of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, we investigated dietary intake in pediatric IBD compared to the general population and assessed anthropometrics and food avoidance. Methods In this cross-sectional cohort study, patients younger than 18 years with IBD were included (2014−2017). Dietary intake (total energy, macro nutrients, food types) was assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and compared with a matched reference population (n = 306). Results There were 102 patients included (55% male, median age 15.0 years). Median height Z-score was −0.39 (interquartile range [IQR]: −1.17 to 0.26). Growth failure (height Z-scores